EU to put pressure on Ban Ki-moon over marines, says Bonino

Anti-piracy case a 'matter of fundamental principle'

(see related)
(ANSA) - Rome, February 13 - European Union countries have
agreed to put further pressure on United Nations (UN)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon over two Italian marines facing
terrorism charges in India for allegedly killing two fishermen
after he deemed the matter a "bilateral issue", Foreign Minister
Emma Bonino told parliament Thursday.

Earlier Bonino expressed "great bitterness and perplexity"
over the position concerning servicemen Massimiliano Latorre and
Salvatore Girone, who have been in India almost uninterruptedly
for two years awaiting charges for the alleged murder of
Valentine (aka Gelastine) and Ajesh Binki after reputedly
opening fire on their fishing trawler while guarding the
privately owned Italian-flagged oil-tanker MT Enrica Lexie off
the coast of Kerala in February 2012.

"It is not a question of a disagreement between two UN
members but of a critical mass of countries raising a matter of
fundamental principle," Bonino told parliament.
"We now have the support of the European Union and NATO,
the relationship is no longer limited to a bilateral dispute,
the application of basic principles of the state of law is at
stake," she said.
On Monday prosecutors in India told the supreme court they
intended to charge Latorre and Girone for murder under the terms
of a severe anti-terrorism law but stressed they would not seek
the death penalty in the event of a conviction.

Instead the pair could now face a maximum of 10 years in
jail.

However, Italy insists that their prosecution under the
so-called SUA act is unacceptable.

"They are neither terrorists nor pirates," Bonino said
before and after the hearing.
The supreme court is expected to rule on the use of the
anti-terrorism law on February 17.

Meanwhile on Tuesday Italy "initiated contact" with the UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) over the lack of
charges against the pair after two years in which their freedom
has been restricted.

The OHCHR said it would assess the petition.

Responding to Bonino's statements to parliament Thursday,
the president of the Senate defence committee, Nicola Latorre,
said if the question of the marines was not resolved Italy's
participation in future anti-piracy missions could be at stake.